11 World Heritage Objects in Indonesia

Ujung Kulon National Park

Krakatau -Ujung-Kulon-National-Park-Volcano

Ujung Kulon National Park is the very first park in Indonesia that is inaugurated as national park and later on it is recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage of Nature in 1991. This national park is located in the westernmost part of Java Island. Covering Krakatau and several small islands surrounding it such as Handeuleum Island and Peucang Island, this park has an area of about 1,206 km2, in which 443 km2 of it is sea. At first, the land where this park is now located was an agricultural area which eventually destroyed and the population were diminished because of Krakatau eruption on August 27, 1883. This event causes this area back to forest.

11 World Heritage Objects in Indonesia

Komodo National Park

The Komodo Dragon

The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang. A member of the monitor lizard family (Varanidae), it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to an average length of 2 to 3 metres (6.6 to 9.8 ft) and weighing around 70 kilograms (150 lb).

Indonesian-Beauty-Most-Popular-Tourism-Komodo-National-Park-komodo.

In the wild, an adult Komodo dragon usually weighs around 70 kilograms (150 lb), although captive specimens often weigh more. The largest verified wild specimen was 3.13 metres (10.3 ft) long and weighed 166 kilograms (370 lb), including undigested food. The Komodo dragon has a tail as long as its body, as well as about 60 frequently replaced serrated teeth that can measure up to 2.5 cm (1 inch) in length. Its saliva is frequently blood-tinged, because its teeth are almost completely covered by gingival tissue that is naturally lacerated during feeding. This creates an ideal culture for the virulent bacteria that live in its mouth. It also has a long, yellow, deeply forked tongue. Komodo dragons are endangered species.
   

Male Komodo dragon.

A female guarding her nest which contains a clutch of eggs.

Behavior

The Komodo dragon is a solitary animal, except during the breeding season. It is a very territorial animal. It is active during the day, can climb trees, it is a good swimmer and has good eyesight. Although Komodo dragons eat mostly carrion, they will also hunt and ambush prey including invertebrates, birds, and mammals.

Reproduction

Threats and Conservation

New 7 Wonders. Why Vote?

Bali Island - welcome to paradise on Earth. Bali is an Indonesian island, one of the 33 provinces of the country. Its neighboring islands are Java and Lombok, east and west from Bali respectively. Tourism is the main source of financial income, so you can just imagine what this place has to offer. Bali is pointed out as one of the best tourist destinations by multiple travel magazines. It attracts millions of tourists every year.

Indonesia is a nation whose name is commonly mentioned in the global tourism sector. It has many tourist attractions and rich in heritage. In one of the islands of Indonesia is the capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta City. It has a highly modernized culture with five-star hotels, which you can find on travel sites such as Expedia, restaurants, clubs and efficient shopping centers. Jakarta has its own international airport thus is the main door into the Indonesian paradise. The Jakarta Bay has many small islands to separate you from the city and enjoy the freshness, cool breeze and sunny weather at the beaches in the islands.

Resorts and spas do not come any better wherever you go. Just 8 to 9 degrees south of the equator the climate is perfect making this island open for the tourists throughout the whole year. The beaches are amazing and the water is a real challenge for divers. Bali is surrounded with coral reefs and exotic species. Whale sharks and dolphins are real attraction too. From volcanoes, mountain tops as high as 3000 meters to rain forests and beaches- the landscape is various and exceptional. The island is relatively small, so tourists are able to make different tours on daily bases. You can feel safe and completely relieved as criminal acts are unusual and rarely reported on Bali.

The coastline differs on the south and the north of the island. As Bali has active volcanoes, the north beaches are covered with dark grey sand. This side is still not well adopted for tourists. Bali still does not have train service, but roads are highly efficient and they will quickly take you form one place to another. Moving from north to south will lead you to Denpasar, the capital of Bali, and to the beautiful sand beaches by the tempting blue waters of the South Pacific. Kuta is the best known resort on the island. Until recently it was only popular among surfers and backpackers.

Nature simply blooms around here. The island is practically covered with flowers, mostly water lilies, jasmine, hibiscus and all kinds of orchids. Fragrances combined from different types of flowers and tropical fruits prevail. One breath is not enough to satisfy your sense of smell, You will get so used to the sight of flowers too: flowers in the temples, flowers during rituals, even in the hair of the beautiful Balinese girls. Agriculture is the second larger occupation on the island. There are vast rice fields and coffee plantations.

The acacia trees, palms, bamboos and mangrove provide homes for about 300 species of birds like sparrows, cuckoos, wood swallows and the endemic Bali Starling. Bali was once, a natural habitat for many large animals. Today, elephants, leopards and the endemic Bali Tiger are all extinct. The greater part of the fauna consists of monkeys, deer, squirrels, civets and some dangerous snakes like the King Cobra. Balinese tradition used to prohibit performing rituals outside of the temples. However, this was recently changed and today tourists can enjoy stunning performances by the dancers and musicians. Each temple, and there are a lot on the island, organizes at least two festivals every year, which means that there is at least one you can attend every day.

There are restaurants of all kinds. For those who travel on a budget, try the local restaurants where you will find most traditional dishes . For those who like classy dining, resorts usually have high-standard places with high prices. The cuisine mainly consists of rice dishes and vegetables with small amounts of meat and fish. It is not easy to describe the ambiance of Bali. People are so amiable that they simply radiate their charm. At the same time you feel serenity and relaxation, mystery and excitement. Magical forces posses you while you are there, making you good-spirited and vigorous.

From backpackers to high-budget travelers, everyone finds Bali attractive and more or less affordable. The peak of the tourist seasons are the months of July and August as expected, but Christmas and New Year's Eve bring another big wave of visitors. Bali is mostly visited by Australians, as the not-so-long distance enables visits during all the holidays and other occasions. Except for tourists coming from the ASEAN countries, visa is usually issued upon arrival and after paying a certain fee. Millions of tourists have already been convinced that Bali is infinitely exotic. If you decide to forget about the skyscrapers, the asphalt and your everyday problems, book your trip to Bali now! And when you land in paradise, be ready to spoil yourselves to the maximum.

The Togean Islands have been out of the sights and the minds of many people since a long time. The ignorance of the Indonesian Government towards this tourist spot has rendered it undeveloped. The islands have served as the vanguard for many groups of conversationalists. Many efforts were made so that the spot can gain the status of the Togean National Park. Nevertheless, due to the slow – moving machinery of the bureaucratic helms in Jakarta the spot has never seeded the status of the national park.


The efforts are now in action to grant the local marine preservation rights to this area. It is expected that the process will gain a speed and encourage the local dwellers of this place to guard the area properly. This will bring the required revenue to the common dwellers of this area of Sulawesi. The travelers of this place have to undergo a long tour. The place makes you have the benefit of the lazy days.  You can enjoy the sunbathing, beachcombing, scuba diving and snorkeling.  You may explore the dense wooded forests of this beach. The lifestyle of the people of this area is simply appealing and tempting.

This island lies in the deep water basin and is protected from every part of the four directions by the spread arms of Sulawesi. The calm and the tranquil water of this island are full of the naval and aquatic life. The beaches of this spot are very clean and are left undisturbed. There is a rumor that the Togean Islands are on the edge of becoming the next hit travelling market in the entire world.

The Togean Islands offer an exclusive opportunity to both divers and the snorkelers to all its tourists. They are offered to discover all the three varieties of the coral reefs, fringe and atoll. There is a wide selection of the sites for diving from the gentle slopes to the dramatic drop offs. It is the faultless and perfect spot for the beginners. The place is experienced by some of the deeper dives for the sophisticated diver.

This place was formed by the volcanic eruptions. The island is covered with the lush rainforest and also enclosed by some of the formations of the ancient coral reefs. It offers a habitat to the animals like Hawksbill turtle, Green Turtle and the Dugong. The Macaque of Tooke is commonly visualized on this island. There are nearly 37 villages on this piece of land.
It is a perfect place where you can spend a splendid vacation. This is a best and most suitable recreational spot for your family.

Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatera which consists of three national parks was recognized by UNESCO in 2004.

Gunung Leuser National Park (TNGL) is one of nature conservation area which administratively located in two provinces, namely Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and North Sumatera. TNGL includes native ecosystems from coast to high mountains covered by dense forest, a typical of tropical rain. In this TNGL area, there are rare plants such as giant umbrella leaf (Johannesteijsmannia altifrons), raflesia (Rafflesia atjehensis and R. micropylora) and Rhizanthes zippelnii which is the largest flower with a diameter of 1.5 meter. In addition, there is a unique plant which is fig or strangler plant.










Meanwhile, Kerinci Seblat National Park is the largest national park in Sumatera. This park lies on four provinces, namely West Sumatera, Jambi, Bengkulu, and South Sumatera. This park consists of Bukit Barisan, which is the highest plateau in Sumatera, hot springs, rushing rivers, caves, highest waterfalls and caldera in Southeast Asia, Mount Tujuh. This national park also has a diverse flora and fauna. About 4000 species of plants grow in the national park area including the largest flower in the world, Rafflesia arnoldi, and the tallest flower in the world, Titan Arum. Fauna in the national park includes Sumatran Tiger, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Sumatran Elephant, Clouded Leopard, Malayan Tapir, Sun Bear and about 370 species of birds.





Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park is located on administrative region of West Lampung and Tanggamus where both of them are part of Lampung Province. This park is very rich in biodiversity and is home to three species of the most endangered mammals in the world: the Sumatran elephant (less than 2000 survive today), Sumateran rhinoceros (total of global population of about 300 and is diminishing drastically) and Sumateran tiger (total of global population of about 400). This park is listed on Global 200 Ecoregions, which is a list of ecoregions identified by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as priorities for conservation. According to the WWF, an ecoregion is defined as a “relatively large unit of land or water containing a characteristic set of natural communities that share a large majority of their species, dynamics, and environmental conditions (Dinerstein et al. 1995, TNC 1997).” This park is highlighted as a priority area for Sumatran rhinoceros conservation through Asian Rhino and Elephant Action Strategy (AREAS) program of WWF. In addition, IUCN, WCS and WWF have identified Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park as a Tiger Conservation Unit (Wikramanayake, et al., 1997), the most important forest for tiger conservation in the world. Finally, in 2002, UNESCO has chosen this area to be nominated as World Heritage Cluster Mountainous Area along with Gunung Leuser National Park and Kerinci Seblat National Park.